Giant swing.



F. E. HAPPELV GIANT SWl-NG.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 27. 1916.

Patnted Mar. 27,1917.

3 $HEETSSHEEI 1.

N m. R Wm. MW bk m Mw k WW Nm Nmv QV A Q- QQ 3v y \Q. \Q o N .VR 3 \Q Q UHH M mwmn Aug- 4 WW F. E. HAPPELP GIANT swine.

APPLICATION FILED MAR-27.1916.-

Paiiefited Mar. 27, 1917.

3 SHEETS-5H! 2.

Gttomeq FREDERICK'E. HAPPEL, OF BALLSTON VIRGINIA.

, GIANT SWING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 27, 1917.

Application filed March 27, 1916. Serial No. 87,094.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, F nnnnnror: E. HAPPEL, residing at Ballston, in the county of Alexandria and State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Giant Swing, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a novel and safe pleasure swing and auxiliary swing apparatus, including an elevated starting platform from which the swing chair may be launched; to provide means for adjusting such a platform; to provide novel means for locking the swing to the platform and for releasing the swing therefrom; to provide swing apparatus of novel construction adapted to maintain the swing chair or seat in a horizontal position at all times during the oscillation of the swing chair, to provide novel safety devices for limiting the oscillation of the swing, as an additional preventive of overturning; and to provide in swing apparatus parts novel in arrangement, combination and in details of construction as more fully hereinafter set forth.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this Specification, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the locking mechanism; Fig. 2 is a top plan of the plat form and swing chair locking and releasing mechanism, with the swing seat locked in place to the platform; Fig. 3 is a similar view, with the mechanism in unlocked position and without the swing chair; Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the swing-supporting apparatus and swing; Fig.5 is a detail perspective of the swing chair supporting mechanism, in horizontal position; Fig. 6 is a similar view with the locking members in vertical position and the rods by which the chair is suspended at an acute angle with relation to the horizontal seat, as the chair appears after release from the platform; Fig. 7 is a detail of lock member 23; Fig. 8 is a detail of the guard mechanism; Fig. 9 is a detail perspective of the adjustable platform supporting mechanism; Fig. 10 is a detail perspective ofthe mechanism for bracing theswing suspending rods; Fig. 11 is a cross section of same; Fig. 12 is a side elevation of the entire machine.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views. i

I provide a swing-supporting apparatus or .tacts the rod 9 that is opposite to it.

tower A, from which a suitable swing chair B is suspended. At a suitable distance from the swing tower A and in line with the oscillation of the swing chair B, I provide an elevated starting platform C, from which the swing is launched and which is provided with mechanism for locking the swing to and releasing it from the platform C. i g

The swing supporting apparatus or tower consists of six posts 1, preferably arranged with two inner and one outer post on each side of the swing chair, and having beams 2 bracing the posts at suitable intervals, and truss rods 3 extending diagonally between junctures of posts andbeams, said posts 1 being secured at the apex by castings 4:. Secured to and extending between opposite castings 4, from which the swing chairmay be suspended I provide two rods 5 and a top rod 6, having ties 8 to brace and strengthen the two rods 5 fromwhich the swing chair is suspended. Struts 7 may also be provided to stiifen and strengthen rods 5. i

As a means of suspending the swing chair, I provide four metallic rods 9 to which the four corners of the swing chair are secured. Rods 9, which are arranged in pairs are themselves suitably secured to rods 5 so as to be freely oscillatory, and suitable means for oiling may also be provided. As a means for bracing rods 9, I provide at suitable intervals transverse rods 10, which are secured to a bearing 12 formed on castings 18. and thus permit of a rotational movement of the rod 10 with the oscillation of the swing (see Figs. 10, 11 and 12).

The swing chair B consists of a suitable seat or chair member 16, chairfsupporting rods 17 to which the chair member is aflixed, and which in turn are secured to rods 9 by a suitable connecting member 18 having a guard arm 19 of suitable length and having a recessed end 20, adapted to prevent the further oscillation of the swing when it cgn ecured to the ends of chair-supporting rods 17 by 'means of connecting members 22 are transverse side rods 21, and near the ends of rods 21, or in other words, approximately at the four corners of the chair member, are mounted lock members 23, capable of a quarter-turn movement, and normally held in vertical position by springs 47 (see Fig. 6).

I may also providemeans connecting lock members on the same side of the chair (not illustrated), or handle mechanism, for operating the lock memberssimultaneously.

The elevated starting platform C from which the swing is launched is mounted preferably on four uprights 11 of a suitable height, and which are strengthened by suitable beams and trusses. In order that the platform may be adjustable, slotted angle irons 45 are provided, extending from front to rear of the platform, to which they are secured in any suitable manner for supporting it, said slotted angle irons 45 being supported by angle irons l6, which are secured to the uprights 11 and to which angle irons 45 are bolted in the manner illustrated in the drawings (Fig. 9). r i 7 As a means for mounting the platform C, I provide suitable stairs 1 1. I also provide suitable platform guard rails 15, as illustrated in Fig. 12.

The elevated platform 0 is provided with swing-chair locking and releasing mechanism.. For this purpose I provide a hand lever 24 attached to the platform. Secured to and operated by hand lever 24 is a rod 25, which in turn is secured to the end of a lever 26, which in turn'operates a sliding bar 29, and this in turn operates releasing bars 31.- The means by which sliding bar 29 and lever 26 are operatively connected consists preferably of a pin 40 and roller 41, secured to sliding bar 29 near its end, in position to engage in slot 27 which is provided in the end of lever 26. An aperture 28 is provided in the platform for the reception of the swing chair member 16. Mounted on the platform on opposite sides of aperture 28 are the releasing bars 31, which are actuated by slidingbar 29. Offset portions 30 of sliding bar 29 are disposed between pins 42 having rollers 43, oppositely disposed on releasing bars 31, Releasing bars 31 are also provided with lock releasing slots 32. Suitable mechanism, such as pins and rollers may be provided as a means for securing the releasing bars 31 to the platform.

In operation the swing chair member 16 is drawn or swung back to the elevated starting platform C by'any suitable means (not illustrated) and lock members 23 are engaged or locked in horizontal position between the floor of the platform and releasing bars 31, which extend parallel with the sides of aperture 28 which receives the swing chair member (see Fig. 2). When it is desired to release the locking mechanism the hand lever 2% is shoved over from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 3, thus actuating rod 25, lever 26, sliding bar 29 and releasing bars 31, the lat ter being drawn back into a retracted position by means of offset portions 30 on sliding bar 29. Slots 32 in the sliding bars are thus brought into a coincident position over the lock members at the rear of the swing chair member. In this way the lock-releasing apertures 33 for the lock members at whether or not springs 47 are provided, as

the operating force is primarily the weight of the swing chair member.

The seat of the swing chair member 16 is maintained in a horizontal position throughout the oscillation of the swing, since it is hung on supporting rods that are loosely or rotatably attached by members 18 to the four rods 9 by means of which the swing chair member is suspended from the two transverse rods 5. (See Fig.12).

What I claim is:

1. The combination of swing supporting mechanism,a swing" chair member, means for suspending the swing chair member and maintaining the seat in a constantly horizontal position, an apertured elevated start to engage or release the chair at will.

3. In swing apparatus, the combination with swing-supporting mechanism, a swing chair member, pivoted means for supportting the chair seat in horizontal position, an apertured elevated starting platform, means for locking the chair to and releasing it from the platform, said means including slidable bars mounted on the elevated platform and arranged to be thrown into or out of engagement with the chairmember, a sliding bar arranged transversely to" the aforesaid bars and having offset portions adapted to" operate the slidable bars, a lever, and means operatively connecting the lever with the slidingbar having the offset portions, sub stantially as set forth.

4:. In swing apparatus, the combination of a swing-supporting framework having parallel swing-supporting rods, means for suspending a swing chair therefrom and keep= ing its course to that of a true are throughout its oscillation, a chair member, means for suspending same, locking members secured to the chair supporting mechanism, an elevated starting platform, swing-locking and releasing mechanism arranged to Slide into or out of engagement with the chair lock members, lever controlled means for operating the swing-locking and releasing mechanism mentioned, and means for 10- FREDERICK E. HAPPEL.

Witnesses:

THOMAS B. SLATE, M. L. BELT.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents, Washington, D. 0. 

